The present invention relates to apparatus for depositing fluids, such as printing ink, paint, or sealant onto a substrate in a predetermined pattern or design, and particularly relates to fluid injectors for pumping fluid through the thickness of a die plate into a recessed design, the fluid injector being constructed for easy access to those parts requiring cleaning without disassembly of a multitude of other parts.
In the type of apparatus such as intaglio printing apparatus to which the present invention relates, the injector units are located between a die construction having an engraved die plate or a part thereof and one of two cooperating press platens so that when the press platens are moved toward each other to effect the deposition of a fluid, the fluid injector units are contracted to pump fluid into recesses in the engraved die plate. The platens are moved toward each other to engage the die plate with a substrate onto which the fluid is to be deposited and to effect a contraction of the fluid injector units to pump fluid through the die plate into the recessed design on the lower surface of the die plate.
Two such fluid injectors are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,896,722 and 3,896,723. Of course, these and other fluid injector units must be thoroughly cleaned after usage if the fluid injectors are to be used with another fluid. Such cleaning requires disassembly of the fluid injector units into a multitude of parts not only because of the numerous parts which come in contact with the fluid to be deposited but also because of the particular arrangement of the fluid injector units. Such disassembly has the disadvantage of having to clean a multitude of parts but also the reassembly problem.